Reversible attachment of perylenediimide fluorophore to glass surfaces via strong hydrogen-bonding

Chemical immobilization of a triethoxysilyl-functionalized hydrogen-bonding ureido-[2-(4-pyrimidone)] tetraplex produced interaction sites on a glass substrate that allowed association with a perylenediimide-functionalized tetraplex, providing noncovalent links of the fluorophore to the surface. The association between the self-complementary molecules was exceptionally strong, both in solution and at the surface, such that effective hydrogen-bonding was retained after repeated solvent washes.